Monday, November 17, 2025
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Katie Lee

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Wienerschnitzel Opens First Walmart Store Restaurant in Arizona

by Katie Lee

Tempe, Ariz. — Wienerschnitzel, the world’s largest hot dog franchise, is celebrating its first restaurant opening inside a Walmart Supercenter, located in Tempe, Ariz., this month. This milestone marks the beginning of a broader non-traditional growth initiative, with six franchised restaurants planned for Walmart stores across the U.S. As Wienerschnitzel accelerates its expansion strategy, the opportunity with the retail giant represents a major step forward in bringing the legacy brand’s signature menu to high-traffic, convenience-driven environments. Additional restaurants are slated for Puyallup, Wash.; Alamogordo, N.M.; Reno, Nev.; Colorado Springs, Colo.; …

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construction and designNewsretailers

Wayfair Testing Smaller Store Format with First Ohio Location

by Katie Lee

Boston — Wayfair Inc. will open its newest namesake retail location in Columbus, Ohio, in late 2026. At approximately 70,000 square feet, or about half the size of previously announced Wayfair stores, the Columbus location will serve as the company’s first prototype for a smaller-format model. This will also be Wayfair’s first brick-and-mortar location in the state of Ohio. “As we scale our retail strategy, we are focused on both expansion and experimentation,” says Liza Lefkowski, vice president of merchandising and stores at Wayfair. “Not only are we thrilled to …

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construction and designfranchise developmentNewspeoplerestaurants

Smalls Sliders® Expands Executive Leadership Team

by Katie Lee

Atlanta — Smalls Sliders has made a series of leadership appointments. The company has named Ryan Crumley as its new chief development officer and promoted Michael Alberici to chief marketing officer. These two additions round out CEO Charles Watson’s executive team. Additionally, the company has promoted Adam Roof to vice president of finance. He will oversee financial planning, forecasting and scalable systems designed to support the company’s rapidly growing franchise network. Crumley most recently served as chief growth officer at Tidal Wave Auto Spa, where he helped grow the company …

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Newsremodelsretailersstore closings

Shoe Carnival to Change Name to Shoe Station Group

by Katie Lee

Fort Mill, S.C. — Shoe Carnival, Inc., a leading retailer of footwear and accessories for the family, has noted that its board of directors has unanimously voted to change the corporate name to Shoe Station Group, Inc., subject to approval of the name change by shareholders at the company’s annual shareholder meeting in June 2026. The company expects over 90% of its fleet to operate as Shoe Station by the end of fiscal 2028, with the remaining locations being evaluated for re-bannering, outlet repositioning or closure. The company has completed …

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energy managementfacilities managementgreen building/LEEDmanagementNewspeopleProduct Spotlightproperty managementsoftware/technologyvendors

Planon Appoints Chief Revenue Officer for Facilities and Field Services

by Katie Lee

Nijmegen, the Netherlands — Planon, a leading global provider of smart sustainable building management software, has appointed Sylvain Lamy as chief revenue officer (CRO) for facilities and field services, joining the company’s executive management team. In this position, Lamy will lead Planon’s global commercial organization for the facilities and field services business lines, driving sales, services and partner growth worldwide. “Sylvain brings a strong track record in scaling enterprise software businesses and leading high-performing international teams,” says Peter Ankerstjerne, CEO of Planon. “His commercial acumen and customer-centric mindset will be …

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energy managementgreen building/LEEDHVAC/RIndustry VoicesProduct Spotlightsoftware/technologyvendors

The Big Chill

by Katie Lee

— By Ramez Naguib — Exploring the benefits of glycol chillers in restaurants. Glycol chillers are specialized refrigeration systems and often involve the use of antifreeze. A popular application is in beverage production, wherein the food grade chemical propylene glycol is used.i Glycol is not a refrigerant; instead, it is a fluid that is used to carry heat from one location to another in much the same way as a conventional refrigerant does. But, unlike a refrigerant, glycol does not undergo a state change (from a liquid to a gas, …

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franchise developmentNewspeoplerestaurants

P.F. Chang’s Names New Chief Executive Officer

by Katie Lee

Scottsdale, Ariz. — P.F. Chang’s has hired Jim Mazany as its new chief executive officer, effective immediately. Mazany succeeds Brad Hill and will lead the company into its next phase of growth, innovation and global expansion. Mazany is a proven leader in scaling restaurant brands, driving operational excellence and delivering engaging guest experiences across some of the most recognized names in the restaurant industry. Most recently, he served as chairman and CEO of Rosa Mexicano, Yardbird and Shell Shack, where he spearheaded brand expansion and elevated operational performance as operating …

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construction and designNewsretailers

CYBEX Opens First Flagship Store in New York City

by Katie Lee

New York City — German baby products brand CYBEX is opening its first flagship store in New York City, marking a new milestone for the international brand in the U.S. The boutique features the complete CYBEX product portfolio: strollers, car seats, baby carriers, home and living solutions, and accessories. Located on the iconic 127 Greene Street in SoHo’s historic Cast-Iron District, the boutique spans 2,300 square feet across a single floor, and embodies the brand’s philosophy of merging luxurious functionality with contemporary design. “After our flagships in Prague, Tokyo, Amsterdam …

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construction and designfranchise developmentNewsrestaurantssoftware/technology

Sweetgreen Grows “Sweetlane” Footprint with First-Ever Infinite Kitchen Drive-Thru

by Katie Lee

Costa Mesa, Calif. — Sweetgreen, a mission-driven restaurant brand serving healthy food at scale, will open its first-ever Infinite Kitchen sweetlane location in Costa Mesa, Calif., on Nov. 18. The new restaurant marks an evolution in Sweetgreen’s reimagining of fast food — blending its in-store hospitality with the efficiency of its Infinite Kitchen technology and the added convenience of a drive-up sweetlane for digital customers. First introduced as a pilot concept in 2022, the sweetlane was designed to offer a seamless pickup experience for digital orders. With more than a …

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construction and designNewsretailers

Boll & Branch Grows to 15 Stores Nationwide

by Katie Lee

Summit, N.J. — Boll & Branch, a leading luxury bedding and home brand, has opened its 14th retail location at SouthPark in Charlotte, N.C., and its 15th retail location at Bethesda Row in Bethesda, Md. With these additions, the brand will nearly double its retail portfolio in 1 year, growing to 15 stores nationwide and deepening its presence in key markets across the country. “Nearly doubling our retail footprint this year is a pivotal milestone in bringing the Boll & Branch experience to more customers nationwide, while creating meaningful, 1:1 …

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